Food Matters

April 29, 2015 – Food Matters

Even when life seems overwhelming – no, especially when life seems overwhelming, food matters.  Food is so much more than sustenance.  It’s comfort, it’s caring, it’s a stolen moment of pleasure in a hectic day.  Confession: a few days ago, I dashed into Dairy Queen and ordered their smallest vanilla frozen custard in a cone.  I sat in the car and ate it.  It was sheer bliss. 

I eat out much less often these days, but I made an exception yesterday when I had lunch with my friend (and former ESOL colleague) Kathy at our favorite vegetarian Indian restaurant.  There was wonderful assortment of dishes on the buffet – the usual bhelpuri, pakoras, idlis, rotis, dals, half a dozen vegetable dishes, bisi bele bath (a spiced rice, lentil and vegetable mixture), gulab jamun – plus masala dhosas brought piping hot to the table.  There were so many complex flavors to savor as we chatted about our families, the joys of being a grandmother, and what’s going on at AHS.  Sure, the meal was bad for the blood sugar (too many carbs), but it certainly was good for the soul.  I paid the price later, however.    Midway through the afternoon, my blood sugar level crashed and I couldn’t keep my eyes open. 

Homemade meals have remained my standby.  Even when I’m exhausted, it doesn’t take long to make a salad, whisk together a vinaigrette, and open a can of salmon or sardines.  Add some yogurt and fruit and I have a satisfying lunch or dinner.  At first, right after Elliott went into rehab, I tried preparing more traditional meals, but I found cooking for one to be quite a challenge.  I’d always end up eating leftovers for three or four days.  Now I strive to make meals that are interesting but simple.   For example, after Zumba and a visit to Elliott in rehab today, I was starving and wanted a quick, easy, and tasty (tasty is the key) lunch.  At the same time, I was trying to free up space in the refrigerator as I start loading up on food for the shower this coming weekend.  One lonely Trader Joe’s organic tofu burger was lurking on a shelf.  By chance, I’d noticed a recipe for trout with tahini-lemon yogurt sauce in today’s Washington Post.  Tofu isn’t exactly trout, but I had tahini, lemon and yogurt in the refrigerator and so I thought I’d give it a try.  The result – the yummiest tofu burger ever!  

Trader Joe's tofu veggie burgers

This is my adapted version of the newspaper recipe – for 1-2 servings, in a bowl mix together 2 Tablespoons regular (non-Greek) plain yogurt, 1 Tablespoon tahini, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon water.  Season with a dash of garlic powder, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and 1-2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro.  Serve over any kind of cooked fish, tofu or vegetable. 

Now the big question is – will Elliott like the tofu burger with tahini-lemon yogurt sauce?  Maybe if I serve it with mashed potatoes and gravy on the side?  By the way, Elliott thinks the food at The Virginian (his rehab facility) is wonderful.  My step-daughter, Marie-Claude, says this is a sure sign he’s losing mind.